


Rouxls Kaard vs. the Underground

by su__mi



Category: Deltarune (Video Game), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, Babysitting, Crossover, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Puzzles, Takes place before Kris and Susie fall down, Third Person POV, Violence, undertale and deltarune crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-19 17:32:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16539092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/su__mi/pseuds/su__mi
Summary: Rouxls Kaard is a man of high calibre puzzles. No one has ever bested his works, for they are simply incomprehensible to all except those who are dashingly handsome and intelligent, like him.Then he falls into the Underground.





	1. The Falleth

**Author's Note:**

> Idea I came up with yesterday. Enjoy :)

Rouxls Kaard was a dashing fellow, and self-proclaimed connoisseur of puzzles. No matter the type, no matter the difficulty, he boasted to know all the tricks of the trade when it came to the tricky little brain teasers he had so lovingly devoted his life to. Titled the Duke of Puzzles by his… less than gracious new King of Spades (Rouxls very quickly glanced at his surroundings after he thought this - he’d heard that an ex-Duke had been imprisoned for thinking rude things about the King once and would hate to follow in his footsteps), he took his job very seriously.

But since when was babysitting the Prince part of his job description?

Sighing indignantly, he leaned further against the dark candy tree, watching as Lancer stuffed his face with worms they’d found off in the forest. It was… not a pretty sight, to say in the least. Worms, he had no problem with. They were a fine delicacy and he quite enjoyed them cooked up in one of his Rouxs. However, watching Lancer crunch his way through fistfuls of raw worms was just downright disgusting. He didn’t even chew with his mouth shut, for star’s sake!

With a scoff of mild (extreme) disgust, Rouxls turned his nose up and away from the scene, hoping to find something to inspire some new puzzle designs when a flicker of light suddenly caught his attention. 

“Pray tell, is that a Glowshard I see-eth over yonder?” he crooned eagerly, scrambling towards the shimmer of light. Glowshards were a rarity in the overworld, and fetched a pretty penny from that scoundrel Seam. Even if he didn’t sell it, he could always add it to his dazzling outfit. Nothing yelled wealth like a glowstone lapel pin.

But even with his steeled resolve, he soon felt himself tire as he walked. It was as if the jewel was actually a lot farther away than it seemed. Or perhaps he was simply moving at a snail-like pace, thanks to all his daydreaming. Rouxls picked up the pace, arms tucked behind his back as he walked briskly towards his prize.

No, no. Still too slow.

Suddenly, he realised that the sounds of Lancer shrieking about the worms wriggling down his gullet weren’t offending his ears anymore. Glancing back, he realised that he couldn’t see the prince either. All he  _ could _ see was the thin blades of grass, peeking out behind the growing darkness.  How… strange. Very strange, indeed.

A bead of sweat began to collect on his forehead. He ignored it - Dukes never got nervous, after all. Well, a Duke before him probably did and was promptly thrown into a cage. Rouxls had avoided prison for this long already - there was no way he could avoid to lose his good streak with the king now.

“Child?” Kaard called out into the emptiness. “Runt? Thy Master will haveth my head if you keep ignoring thy carer!”

Silence.

The darkness grew darker.

“H-Ha ha… you little rascal! Worry not, I will simply winneth the King over with this Glowshard! He shall surely be too distract’d on the jewel to throweth me into thy dungeon…!”

It was hard to convince himself, but the lies helped anyway. Now he could fool himself that he had nothing to lose ...except his freedom. With a nervous glance at his surroundings, he finally accepted that he was alone. Unease sat deep in his gut as the bead of sweat rolled down. With a nervous stutter in his steps, Rouxls continued on his journey, hastening his pace once again, eyes trained on the glimmer of light.

Then his foot snagged on something and he snapped his attention at the ground just in time to see a dark vine slithering back into the ground - or was it the ceiling now? Everything was spinning and happening too fast to register. 

With a choked cry, Rouxls tumbled into the hole and disappeared from the Overworld.

* * *

 

The sensation of falling was a peculiar, but overall horrid experience. Stomach leaping up to his throat, he could barely part his lips to scream, air squeezing out of his lungs as if he were being squeezed to death. 

A second passed, then two, then three. With every inch he fell, Rouxls felt his panic grow stronger and stronger. How much damage was this fall going to do? Would he have the HP to survive it?

_ What if the little brute saw me fall?  _ A quiet part of his mind whispered, and fear gripped his heart for another reason altogether.

All things had to come to an end eventually though.

 

“Oucheth!” 

 

His fall was cushioned slightly by the bed of flowers beneath him, bathed in soft light from the sky high above him.

_ Wait - sunlight?  _

Groaning, his scrunched up eyes finally squinted open, taking in his surroundings with bleary eyes. His HP had taken a good hit from the fall, but he was nowhere near dead, thankfully. Gradually pulling his arms back, he placed his hands flat on the ground to push himself up onto his knees, limbs groaning from the weight.

“Howdy!”

Yowling, Rouxls’ grip slipped and he collapsed in the flowerbed again.

The flower that had spoke watched the Duke fumble and flounder around, cocking an eyebrow at the pathetic sight. With a mouth full of golden petals, Rouxls finally collected himself, staring at it in horror.

“Howdy!” Flowey repeated with an obvious edge in his tone. “I’m Flowey, the Flower.” 

Then his mouth twisted and tore, pupils shifting into an ominous black. Little white bullets fluttered from his petals and honed in on the Duke, hovering menacingly in the air. 

_**“You’re new to the Underground, aren’t you?”** _

“Oh, helleth,” Rouxls mumbled weakly, then faceplanted back into the flowers.

 

*** Roulxs Kaard has fainted.**

  
  



	2. The Greater Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rouxls and Toriel enjoy some tea. With complications.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very pleased with the reception on this so far! I'll try my best to produce a great story for you guys :}
> 
> Also I'm a bit weird with my writing sometimes so some sentences may not flow well but hopefully it'll be alright.
> 
> Edit: got the Dark World and Overworld confused. Fixed them

When the Duke awoke, he found himself in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room.

His gangly limbs had been shoved underneath the covers, but he still managed to spill over in every direction. One leg was stretched over the bedframe, swinging lazily in the air whilst an arm dragged across the floor. It was actually pretty uncomfortable. How could he sleep in such an abysmal position and bed?

Stretching as best he could (he immediately smacked his funny bone against the bedpost and had to suck in a violent yelp of pain), Rouxls clambered out of the bed and landed on the floor in a heap of limbs.

"Stars above,” he mumbled sleepily. Standing up, he inspected the room again with slightly fresher eyes. It was painted a warm gold and red, looking more akin to a child's room than an adult one. Especially if that bed anything to do with it. But if he were in the child's bed, then where was the child?

Sunlight streamed into the room through the window and Rouxls froze.

 _Light_...

Gently bathing his dark hand in the rays, he watched in awe as warmth tickled his skin and left him feeling even more baffled. But even in his bemusement, he felt very comfortable like this. Even with the knowledge that he had fallen into a chasm of sorts, and he doubted the legitimacy of the light source, it was a pleasant feeling nonetheless. Nothing like the nipping breezes and ghastly cold in the Dark World.

Jealousy bubbled in his gut. Why couldn't they have this all the time?

Maybe evil gold flowers came with the package. He shivered at the memory of its twisted grin and deadly bullets, trying to whisk it away just as quickly.

His musings were interrupted as the door handle twisted open.

"Oh! I hadn't realise you'd woken up."

The newcomer’s voice was so sweet, so laden with honey and even sweeter tones and it took all of Rouxls strength not to flinch away from her as she approached. He'd never heard such a gentle voice before, not for a very, very long time. But Dukes never showed signs of weakness, lest they face the dungeons!

So Rouxls Kaard took a deep breath and turned around, concealing his shock at the sight of his saviour.

  
A… goat?

  
One in an apron and long dress, at that. It was a deep royal purple, and he could see glimpses of a weird symbol etched onto the front, concealed by the rosy accessory wrapped around her waist. Her smile was inviting and it couldn't help but feel tickled pink. But she looked so familiar...

In a feeble attempt to cover up his staring, he tried to style it out the best he could.

"Art thy's blood that of that dastard prince, Ralsei? Nay, surely it cannot be. Did thou followeth me, insolent worm?"

"...Pardon me?" Toriel replied, freezing on the spot. She had been in the middle of brushing off a spot of dough from her fur, apron stained with snail residue and flour. Her pleasantries faltered, staring down at the creature.

Rouxls grins back nervously, then struck a pose. Laying on his side, leg bent and tapping at the ground, he fingergunned the goat with a dazzling wink.

"Basking in mine own glory, are thee, Prince o'the Darkness? Where are thy subjects, wench?"

"Subjects...?"

"Y...Yes?" Rouxls hesitated at her confusion. Come to think of it, she wasn't really wearing any fancy clothes, even if her posture was one of someone who'd endured hours and hours of etiquette lessons. And she was a lot large than Ralsei...

"Th-Thy subjects. Guardians of thine plane. The ones to saveth the Dark World?" He trailed off. "Er... thoust _are_  the p-pathetic, lonely Prince, right?"

His only answer was a look of hurt and confusion, and Rouxls suddenly felt sick. Oh no. Had he just yelled obscenities at a stranger who saved him from an evil little flower and let him sleep in her home?

He was the pathetic one here, wasn't he? Stars, how embarrassing. Now he wished he was falling down that hole over and over again until he was no more, just to escape this hell he put himself in!

"Please stop banging your head against my floor. You may crack it."

"Mayhaps the stars will show mine spirit mercy and crack mine instead!" Rouxls wailed into the floorboards. "Damn it! Why must thine life force runneth so high?"

Toriel sighed, before bending down and cupping Rouxls' head in her giant paws, turning him to look her in the eye.

"Stop." She ordered.

"Ok," he squeaked.

* * *

  
"...Of course, a Duke as greateth as I would never flee like a dog in the eyes of a prize most great, m'lady," Rouxls peered suspiciously at the tea in his hands, warming his fingers against the hot ceramic. The two had made their way into the living room, sitting at the table whilst the Duke told his tale. Behind him, the fireplace crackled and snickered his predicament.

He sneered back at it.

“Anyhow, great misfortune strucketh me then, dear maiden! For a horrible hole was conjured from nowhere, and a dastardly force push’d mine own self down it! T’was a woeful accident.” Fishing a handkerchief out of his pocket, he dabbed away at his dry eyes.

“Ah… yes.”

Letting the cup sit against her lips for a few moments, Toriel tried to think of something to say in response. His lingo was certainly difficult to understand at times. She knew that he was speaking in a dialect that was popular around three hundred years ago (she had found a history book talking about it. It was presumably called _‘Shakespearean English’_!) but he spoke like… well, like a child.

“Ahem. Well, I'm very sorry that you had to deal with that, uh... Mister Rules?" She attempted, wincing at his indignant glare

"That's _Duke_ Rouxls, I thank thee."

"Sorry. Duke Rouxls. Usually we ah... we don't get monsters like you down here-"

"Darkner."

Toriel stared.

"I am a Darkner. How harsh of you to calleth me a monster, Miss Dreemurr!"

"Just Toriel is fine, Duke-"

" _I,"_ He exclaimed, leaning over and fluttering his lashes at the irritated goat, "Am a great Darkner. And I presume that thou are a Lightner, yes? What else could such a brightly decorated-eth creature like thee be?"

"I am not a creature."

"But thoust called thyself a monster."

" _Yes,_ but-"

"Then'st I am correct! As always." Rouxls was getting carried away.

"I-"

"No needeth to stammer o'er my greatness, goat. I assure thoust that I knoweth of my glory. Perhaps thy creatures need me to teach thee how to achieve mine own level. Where'st are thy snivelling worm people, Miss Dree-?"

The teacup slammed against the table.

_"Duke Rouxls!"_

"Eep!"

Ears ringing, he almost spilled his own cup, eyes slowly rising to meet hers in abject terror. Toriel's paws twitched and Rouxls swore he saw sparks fly between her fingertips. But even if he was uncertain, there was no denying the angry flames in her eyes as she glared back at him. Patience running low and voice even lower, she jabbed a claw at the Duke.

"I advise that you think twice before you speak and say some harmful things. How will you ever hope to survive in the Underground with that attitude?"

"...A-Are'st thou scolding me?" He squeaked.

"..."

With an irate sigh, she sat back down. "My apologies. I guess this silly old lady can't change even the mind of other monsters, let alone humans."

 _Darkners_ , he corrected - in his head.

"Listen, Duke. I have lost many children to the Underground. No matter how many times I begged, how many times I told them it was futile...  they left." She stared woefully at her cracked cup. "And died."

"Oh."

"Now, you are no child, so I will not waste your time doing the same. But there are monsters out there who do not take kindly to strangers, especially those who are... as extravagant as you. So do say safe, and I hope you return."

"But... what of thoust that are no child yet are'still in need of thy help?" Rouxls suddenly asked, his smile not as bright as before. "To protecteth only the young... tis a selfish thing, be it not?"

Toriel didn't reply, staring incredulously at Rouxls.

"Have'st I told thee the tale of my Prince? Lancer of thy Spades. A mere infant, but he holds mucheth power! Heed thy warning, he would'st not. But perhaps he should not needeth it regardless." Waving an airy hand, he gave her a pitying smile.

"But of course, I shan't turneth away thy kind begging for my safety - better to be fair to all, naught just children, nay?"

Head lowered, Toriel sat in silence as he droned on and on about things he could not possibly understand. It was hard to breathe when she thought about all the children she had lost. How could he? How ignorant of him.

"M-Miss Toriel?"

A fireball flickered behind her.

She never did like the ignorant ones.

" _Miss Toriel?!"_

Ducking instinctively, the Duke could feel the heat of the attack as it whizzed past his head, threatening to set his hair aflame. The chair toppled over with him in it and he struggled to get back up, crawling away from the furious goat.

"You know **nothing** about me," Toriel finally growled out, raising her head as tears pooled in her eyes. "Of my story _or_ my losses."

Another fireball, this time striking his arm and forcing him back down to the ground.

Drats, his suit!

"Who are you? _What_ are you?" She demanded over his screaming. **"What is your purpose in my ruins?!"**

"Calm thyself, madwoman!" Rouxls shrieked, forcing himself to his feet, burnt arm clutching as his other hip in pain and fear. "I told thou mine tale mere minutes ago!"

Another fireball flew by, then another, both hitting the armchair opposite them and nearly toppling it over. Rouxls watched as Toriel swiped away at her tears, too overcome with grief to aim properly. Her fighting spirit was quickly fading, but he felt that even his mere presence would ignite it again, just like that.

"I..." He swallowed, watching as she tried to muster up the rage to send another fireball straight into his face. He scrunched his face up.

"I am deeply sorry, Miss Toriel!"

She stopped dead, staring at him past the tears running down her fur. Rouxls bowed his head, rocking his charred arm as he tried to steel his shaky nerves.

"I spoke too freely and carelessly. You must have gone through a... a lot of painful experiences with your children. I'm sorry." Then, as an afterthought, "P-Please stop attacking me."

"..."

The fire in her died out, and Toriel sunk to the ground, weeping silently into her paws.

"I am truly sorry, Rouxls. I- My fury blinded me."

He awkwardly watched the woman cry, not sure what to say.

"I have lost so many... You cannot understand the extent of my pain and suffering. But whilst I may appear to favour children, I do not wish to see anyone be harmed, especially when it is something that I could've stopped."

"I apologise for my assumptions," he replied guiltily. Exhaling shakily, she smiles away his worries.

"No... No, is it quite alright. Perhaps I _have_ become more needy over the years..." She trailed off, not wanting to continue her train of thought any longer. "Nevermind. Oh - your arm!" She gasped.

Rouxls felt the pain spike, suddenly fully aware of his injury. "Hm? Oh, worrieth not, maiden! It is merely a fleshy wound...eth."

"Nonsense, just look at it! Goodness me. Stay right here, I'll fetch you some of my pie!"

As Toriel darted into the kitchen, Rouxls finally let out the breath he was holding, fingers trembling.

 _Are they all as dangerous as her?_ He thought at first, feeling a little angry at her fiery outburst.

Then he took the time to seriously consider her words and reaction to his silly words, mouth downturned.

Seconds later, Toriel returned with a fork and slice of pie, its innards oozing out onto the ceramic. It looked kind of gross, yet oddly appetising... this was probably a healing item, right?

"Here. Please have this, it should heal you right up."

It seemed it was. Taking the plate, he gingerly balanced it on his lap, clutching the fork in his good hand. He hesitantly glanced at Toriel - she was watching him with hopeful, yet guilt ridden (and still teary) eyes, and he bit back his pride for a second time, speaking up.

"Just so thy know..."

"Huh?"

"My Prince hath so graciously dubbed I as his 'lesser dad' back in the Dark World. Obviously, I outranketh thee greatly, and thy arest simply not as dazzling-" he peeks at Toriel's unimpressed look. "....B-But! I must say, thoust children must've'st hath seeneth thee as their 'Greater Mom', certain'st'ly."

"Oh." Feeling a new wave of tears at the surprisingly endearing outcome, she offered a watery smile in exchange.

"Thank you, Rouxls."

"Th'pleasure t'is mine. Oh and… Miss Toriel?"

"Yes, Duke?"

"Thy um, chair is burning."

They look at the fire behind them.

"... Yes. Yes it is."

  
*** Rouxls ate some pie. Snails are surprisingly tasty. HP maxed out.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oil and water never mix.
> 
> Personally I've always felt like Toriel favoured children over adults because she watched 6 human children die, as well as Chara and Asriel. I imagine it would cause a person to become horribly attached or detached from children as an effect, and seeing that she isn't hostile towards Frisk (except at the door), then she becomes attached.
> 
> And people who try to make her pain seem insignificant or less than it is would make her very angry and upset, just like you saw above.
> 
> I'm probably going to do one more chapter with Toriel before he ventures out into Snowdin. I'll have to see how it flows.
> 
> Thanks for reading :-)


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